As a YouTube junkie with a soft spot for beauty gurus (though most of the ones I like are no longer making videos), I've seen a lot of monthly favorites roundups in my time. And don't get me wrong: I really enjoy them. I'm just not the type to drop $60 on an eyeshadow palette (though if designer makeup is your thing, go for it!)
When I started this blog, I knew I wanted to do a monthly favorites series, with a twist. I wondered what small changes I could make with what I already had/was already paying for (e.g. bills, subscriptions, etc.) to make my day more joyful, less manic and overall healthier without buying anything extra. So every month, I'm rounding up the top things that have made my life better without having to break out my credit card.
Here's my list for March 2021!
1. Lady Cop Makes Trouble by Amy Stewart: Historical fiction? Check. Badass crime-fighting ladies? Check. Set in my home state? Check! This is the second book in Stewart's Kopp Sisters series, which I picked up at the library. (Insert the library card song from Arthur here.) I spent my whole childhood in northern New Jersey, and I had no idea that the first female deputy sheriff in the U.S., Constance Kopp, lived and worked 100 years ago in the next county over from my hometown! I read the first book in the series, Girl Waits With Gun, last year, and actually stayed up all night to finish it. It was such a joy to pick this series back up, and I'm hoping the third book will be on my list next month!
2. Karlee Rotoly's recipe for vegan brownies, as seen on Goodful: As I mentioned in my previous post, my meat-loving boyfriend has been going mostly plant-based for Lent, which has given me a great excuse to try out some delish vegan recipes. One of my main resources has been Merle Shay O'Neal's vegan cooking videos on Buzzfeed's Goodful. This vegan brownie recipe made from avocados was the first recipe featured on the channel I tried to recreate. And to be honest, I may never go back to making regular brownies. They're just that good. (And yes, my boyfriend approves.)
3. Shutting off my personal phone during the work day: This was my main Lenten sacrifice this year. It's been so hard some days to shut my personal phone off at 9:00 a.m. and not touch it again until 5:00 p.m. (I have another phone specifically for work, which I always keep on.) But this habit has done wonders for my productivity at work! I know that this isn't feasible for everyone. However, if you want to check your phone less often during the day, there are many apps that can help you limit your screen time. I like Forest, which plants a virtual tree when you don't touch your phone for a set period of time. There is a paid version, but I use the free one. This is one Lenten practice I will definitely be keeping up even after Easter.
4. Wearing statement earrings on Zoom calls: This was a tip I picked up
from watching Audrey Coyne's style videos. She gives amazing fashion advice, and she has the most beautiful and soothing speaking voice you ever did hear. I have a collection of statement earrings that I really didn't wear too much before the pandemic, but I've loved breaking them out over the past year. Putting on a pair of earrings (or any statement accessory) before a Zoom meeting is a really easy way to look polished and put together, even if you're in a t-shirt and sweatpants. Plus, who says you have to go somewhere to dress up?
5. Participating in virtual theater productions: At the beginning of the pandemic, my friends Emily and Colleen started an online theater collective that did virtual readings of plays every week. The collective is coming up on its one-year anniversary, and I've been honored to be a part of several readings. I even got to play one of my dream roles, Deirdre McDavey in I Hate Hamlet! I've also participated in virtual theater with Dragonfly Multicultural Arts Center, TSquared Production Company, and Unidentified Stages. Theatres may still be closed for in-person productions, but people are still making theater happen. Check out your local community theatre to see what they have going on, and please consider supporting them financially if you can.
6. Journaling for 10 minutes every morning: This is another one of my Lenten practices, and I've been less successful at this one than at shutting my phone off. However, when I have made the time to start my day in bed with coffee, the daily Mass readings, and my journal, everything is right with the world.
What free things should be on my April list? Let me know in the comments.
Thank you, as always, for reading.
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